Refrigerator-car.



No. 634,583. Patehted Get. I0, 1899.

J. L. monms.

REFRIGERATOR CAR.

(Application filed Mar. 7. 1898;

(m: mm.)

2. Sheds-Sheet m: uowms I'EYERS cu. PHOTO-l m0" wAsmNGTGM. n. n.

J. L. MOBFHS.

REFRIGERATOR GAB.

(Agplication filed mu. 7, 1593'.

\b r c m I I QQC I .2; ii: Q. I a o o o 0 WW M h l H I 1 4 M Wi n H l am I I I I I I I I I I I. I I

(No Model.)

m: mums PETERS co. moio-umm wrgmusm. a. c.

UNITED ST T s PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPi-IL. MORRIS, or LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

'R'E'FRIGELRATO R-oAR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No, 634,583, dated October 10, 1899.

Application filed near, 1398, sent 1%. 672,920 on model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lawrence, Douglas county, Kansas, have in: vented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Oars,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, forming apart thereof. My invention relates to refrigerating-cars, and more especially to mechanical refrigeration in contradistinction to refrigeration by meansof ice stored at some point in the car; and my object is to produce means for regulating the temperature of the car which are positive and reliable and under perfect control.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in appended claims. I

- The invent-ion consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter de scribed and claimed; and in order that the invention may be fully understood I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a refrigerator-car embodying myinvention, taken on the irregular line I I of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isan irregular vertical section taken on the lineII II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isavertical cross-section taken through the refrigerating -chamber. Fig. 4: is a similar view taken through the power-chamber of the car.

In the said drawings a refrigerator-car is divided into the comparativelysmall chamberl and the refrigerating or large chamber 2, into which-lead the side doors 30f thecar, and said chamber 2 may be subdivided'into two smaller chambers, if desired, .by partitions '4, provided with doors 4:, leading into the passage between them, at the opposite ends of which passage are located the cardoors 3, said doors 4: being provided in order that the temperature of the subcompartm ents wherein the meat or other-substance is stored may not be raised by an inrush of air each time the door is opened.

5 designates the ceiling ofv the car,which preferably will be of the insulated type, though not so shown in the drawings, and 6 the sloping roof of the car above said ceiling in order to provide an air-chamber between J osnr rr L. Months, of V the two, and'thereby provide fora more thorough refrigerating action than could be obtained if the roof, also formed the ceiling of the car. Through this chamber, between the roof and the ceiling, the air may circulate freely, owing to the fact that an air-space is left between the roof and the side margins of the ceiling, as shown at 7, Figs. 3 and 4, and a space is left between the inner edges of the sloping sides of thereof, as shown at 8, same figures. The opening 8 is covered by the running or foot board 9 at the top of the car. Ifprain or snow should "enter said air-chamher, it would escape through the openings 7 immediately, owing to the fact that the car is rocking constantly from side to side when in motion, and, furthermore, the ceiling may be of material to resist penetration by water.

Arranged a suitable distance below the celling 5 is a longitudinally-corrugated partition 10, of sheet metal, said partition occupying only the refrigerating-chamber and loping downward, preferably, from the center of the same to eitherend in order that the water dripping down upon the same from the refrigerating-coil, to be hereinafter described,

.may flow immediately to theendsof the car and enter the transverse gutters 12, provided at one or both ends with drain-pipes'13, lead ing through the bottom of the car, said pipes being formed at suitable points withtraps 14 or their equivalents, which while permitting the Water to escape prevent outside air from entering the car. 7 The corrugated partition ,10 is provided at the apex orhighest point of its corrugations with a longitudinal series of apertures 11, through which the air circulates, the cold air passing toward the bottomof the car andthewarm air rising to the top, where it is reduced in temperature and then passes down through said apertures, said circulating action continuing as long as the refrigerating operation is in progress. we

Located at a convenient point inthe chamher 1 is a receiverliand extending from the same through the adjacent partition into the chamber 2 and up through the partition 10 is a pipe 16, and said pipe is connected just above said partition with a pair of branch pipes 17, which extend transversely outward and communicate with the outer ends of a the full length of chamber 2 and supported in any suitable manner in a horizontal position between the ceiling and partition 10. At the junction of the branch pipe 17 with pipe 16 are a pair of valves 19, which control the flow of ammonia-gas from pipe 16 into pipes 17, these valves being commonly known as expansion-valves, and the stems of said valves extend down through the perforated partition and are provided with handles 20, so that the valves may be conveniently manipulated. At the inner ends of coils 18 are located a pair of valves 21,the stems of which extend down through the perforated partition and are provided with handles 21 whereby they may be manipulated from chamber 2, and connected to said valves are the branches of a pipe 28, which extends through said partitionintothechamberl. Suitably supported in said chamber 1 is a water-tank 22 of suitable capacity, and said tank is provided with a vertical partition 23, which, however, terminates short of the top and bottom of the tank, and therefore provides the two communicating chambers 24 and 25, throughwhich the water contained in said tank is adapted to circulate in the manner to be hereinafter described. The top and bottom and oneend of the tank 22 belong in common also to a second tank 26 for convenience of construction; but this tank does not communicate at all with said tank 22 and may be constructed entirelyindependent of the same.

27 designates a cooling-coil which is located in compartment 24 of tank 22 and is connected at its upper end to the pipe 28, leading from the inner or discharge end of coils 1S, and leading from the lower end of said coil is a pipe 29, which communicates with the compressor 30 of the customary or anypreferred construction, the piston-stem 31 of said compressor being linked to the crank-shaft 32 of wheel 33, said Wheel being preferably mounted upon a gas-engine A, as shown, or of any other type. Motion is imparted to said wheel by means of a belt 34 from the wheel 35 upon one end of the engine-shaft 30. The fly-wheel 37 upon the opposite end of said shaft has its wrist-pin 38 connected by a link 43 with the piston-stem 44 of a suction-pump 45, and said pump is provided with a pipe 46, projecting through an opening 47 in the partition above I referred to, and coupled to said pipe is a flexible suction pipe or hose 48. A dischargepipe 49, leading from said pump, extends upward to a point above the water-level of tank 22 and then down and into the bottom of said tank, as shown at 50, terminating in a perforated discharge-pipe 51, arranged at the bottom of said tank. It will be noticed that pipe 50 extends down through tank 26. This is not necessary, however, or even desirable and is so illustrated simply for convenience of illustration. A pipe 52 communicates at its opposite ends with tank 22 and the airchamber between ceiling 5 and roof 6.

Supposing the engine to be in operation tion-pu mp is in action it thereby exhausts all the dead air from said chamber, and said airis forced up through pipe 49 and discharged through the apertures of pipe 51 into tank 22. The cold air thus introduced into said tank tends to lower the temperature of its contentsviz., the water-and then escapes up through the discharge-pipe 52 into the airchamber above described. It will be noticed, of course, that the water of tank 22 seeks the same level in pipe 50 when the pump is not in operation and that when the pump is started the air discharges said water in advance through the perforated'pipe 51. The temperature of the water in tank 26 may be kept sufficiently low to perform its function of preventing the engine from growing too hot in any suitable or preferred manner. This explanation makes clear the reason why pipe 49 should extend to a point higher than the water-level of the tank, because if this were not so the water would flow down into the pump.

53 designates a pipe which connects with the.

compressor at its upper end and at its lower end with a preliminary condensing-coil 54, arranged, preferably, below the car in order to reduce the ammonia-gas to about atmospheric temperature. A pipe 55 connects with the opposite end of said condensing-coil and at its opposite end is connected to the upper end of the main condensing-coil 56, located in compartment 25 of tank 22, and connecting the lower end of said coil with the receiver 15 is a pipe 57 in order to provide a passage through which the ammonia may flow, from the condenser 56 back into the receiver, said condenser 56 completing the transformation of the ammonia-gas intoliquid ammonia, due to the fact that it is submerged in the cold water of said tank, and the water of the tank is causedto circulate continuously from the lower end of chamber 24 into the lower end of chamber 25 and from the upper end of the latter over into the corresponding end of the former, because it is being constantly cooled by the cold ammonia-gas. passing down through coil 27 and again raised in temperature by the gas at a higher temperature as it passes down through the coil 56, as will be readily understood. The circulation of the cold gas through the coil 27 is designed as the chief agent in keeping the water sufficiently cold to retransform the gas into liquid ammonia, though it will be understood that the discharge of cold air into said tank by means of the pump will materially assist in maintaining the water at a low temperature, and, furthermore; the preliminary condenser 54 will be of sufficient size to reduce the gas after it leaves the compressor to the temperature of the atmosphere. This reduction of the gas to atmospheric temperature of course eliminates all possibility of the water in the tank being raised to a higher degree, and, in fact, the Water is always below atmospheric temperature because of the simultaneous passage'through coils 56 and 27 of gas at atmospheric and be low atmospheric temperature, respectively. The pressure exerted by the compressor upon the ammonia in the receiver 15 and pipe 16 maintains the same in liquid form as long as the GXPflTlSlOHrVflIVGS 20 are closed; but as soon as said valves areopened the ammonia is transform ed into gas and circulates through the coils 18 in the direction indicated by the arrows, Fig. 1. In such circulation it ab-v sorbs heat, and frost immediately forms upon the pipes in the usual manner, and the chilled gas escapes from said coils through pipe 28 and passes in such condition down through coil 27, and consequently lowers the temperature of the water in tank 22. It enters the compressor and is forced by the same under pressure through pipe 53, auxiliary or preliminary condenser 54, pipe 55, coil 56,whereby the temperature of the water of said tank is raised, back into the receiver 15, and this circulation continues as long as the compressor is in operation, as will be readily understood. The compressor is provided with the usual water jacket, and water circulates through the same for the usual purpose and through tank 26 through the medium of pipes 58 and 59, leading, respectively, from the bottom and to the top of said tank. The waterjacket of the engine-cylinder is also connected to the bottom of said tank by a pipe 60 and to the top of said tank by a pipe 61 in order that the temperature of the cylinder may be kept down.

By providing two refrigerating-coils 18 with their independent sets of valves it is obvious that if one of said coils became inoperative from any cause the refrigeration operation may still continue, the circulation of ammonia-gas in this case taking place through the operative coil only.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a refrigeratorcar.and means for refrigerating the same which can he depended upon to keep the meats or other articles contained therein in good condition irrespective of the length of time the car is on the road, and it-is to be understood, of course, that changes which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention may be resorted to.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, -'is 1. In a ref rigerator-car, a refrigerating-coil provided with a controlling-va1ve at each end, an ammonia-receiver, connected to one end of said coil, a liquid-tank provided with a partition dividingit into two connecting-conr 7 pipe for air and with a central partition which terminates short of the top and bottom of the tank and divides the same into two compartments side by side, a cooling-coil arranged in said tank and connected to the opposite end of the refrigerating-coil, a compressor connected to the opposite end of the cooling-coil, a condensing-coil also located in said tank and connected to the receiver, a preliminary condensing-coil connected atits opposite ends to the condensing-coil and the compressor, and means to discharge cold air under pressure into the lower end of said tank, sub-' stantially as described.

3. In arefrigerator-car, a refrigerating-coil provided with a valve at each end, an ammonia-receiver connected to one end of said coil,

a liquid-tank, provided with an outlet-pipe for air and with a central partition which terminates short of the top and bottom of the tank and divides the same into two compartments side by side, a cooling-coil arranged in 1 said tank and connected to the opposite end of the refrigerating-coil, a compressor connected to the opposite end of the cooling-coil, a condensing-coil also located in said tank and connected to the receiver, a preliminary condensing-coil connected at its opposite ends to the condensingcoil and compressor, a driven pump, a discharge-pipe leading from the same to a point above the level of the water in said tank, and then bent downwardly and provided with a perforated portion ar-.

ranged in the bottoinof said tank, and an induction-pipe connected to said pump, substantially as described.

4. In a refrigerator-car, a refrigerating-coil provided with a valve at each end, an ammonia receiver connected to one end of said coil, a liquidtank, provided with an outlet-pipe forair and with a central partition which terminates short of the top and bottom of the tank and divides the same into two compartments side by side, a cooling-coil arranged in said tank and connected to the opposite end of the refrigerating-coil, a compressor con nected to the opposite end of the cooling-coil, a con densing-coil also located in said tank and connected to the receiver, a preliminary conden sin g-coil connected at its opposite ends to the condensing-coil and the compressor, a driven pump, a discharge-pipe leadingfrom the same'to a point above the level of the wapipes connecting the water-tank with the compressor water-jacket, a condensing-coil also located in sztid tank-and connected to the receiver, anda preliminarycondensing-coil connected at its opposite ends to the condensingcoil and the compressor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH' L. MORRIS;

Witnesses:

E. B. HAZZARD, M. A. GoNILL. 

